Date, kick-off time and venue
The World Cup group stage game is scheduled for a 7pm GMT kick-off time today, Tuesday November 22, 2022.
Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah will host.
Where to watch France vs Australia
TV channel: The game will be broadcast on BBC One.
Live stream: The BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website (both free with a subscription) will offer a live stream service.
For Australia, winger Martin Boyle has been ruled out of the World Cup due to a knee injury suffered with Hibernian, while it will be fascinating to see whether or not incoming Newcastle teenager Garang Kuol gets a start.
Midfield pair Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante, both so crucial to their 2018 success, had already been ruled out, and in the days since head coach Didier Deschamps announced his squad, two more high-profile names have been forced to withdraw.
The loss of Christopher Nkunku was a blow despite the RB Leipzig forward being unlikely to start, his 48 goal involvements (37 goals and 11 assists) in 2022 is only second to France team-mate Kylian Mbappe (57 – 43 goals and 14 assists) among players from Europe’s top five leagues.
When it comes to the team selection in their opening clash with Australia, Deschamps will likely turn to the same trio he used at Russia 2018, with Mbappe starting alongside one or both of Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann.
Giroud has extra motivation, sitting just two behind Thierry Henry (51) as Les Bleus’ all-time record goalscorer.
“Obviously I’ve got this target, this kind of bonus in my head to beat [Henry], but the main target as a team is to go as far as we can in the competition,” the Milan striker said at a press conference on Friday.
How to watch and odds
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 22 | Time: 2 p.m. ET
Location: Al Janoub Stadium — Al Wakrah, Qatar
TV: Fox and Telemundo | Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
Odds: France -470; Draw +49; Australia +1400 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
France will need to improve on recent form though, having only won one of their six games in the UEFA Nations League in June and September (D2, L3).
Their first hurdle is an Australia team that only made it to Qatar by the skin of their teeth, needing a dramatic penalty shoot-out win against Peru in a play-off to advance.
Dancing substitute goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne was the hero that day, but head coach Graham Arnold will need inspiration from elsewhere if the Socceroos are to improve on their World Cup record.
They have been eliminated from the group stage in four of their five previous appearances, progressing only in 2006, when Arnold was assistant to Guus Hiddink.
Australia have won just 13% of their matches at the World Cup (two of 16); only Bulgaria (12% – three of 26) have a lower win rate among nations to play 10 or more games at the finals.
Storylines
France: After the disappointment of Euro 2020, can France rebound here as they look to repeat as champions? There is no doubt that the squad is talented, despite losing Benzema jand the rest. Kylian Mbappe might be the best player in the tournament, but it will all be about how quickly this new generation can gel. In their last six games in the Nations League leading up to the Qatar, they only won one and failed to score multiple goals in five of the six.